Inflammatory and Nutritional Biomarkers in the Plasma of Women in Zambia Reflect Low DHA and HIV Status

Abstract

Docosahexanenoic Acid (DHA) is a fatty acid that is abundant in the brain, retina, and cerebral cortex. It is critical in fetal brain development and is implicated in resolution of inflammation. In recent years, there has been a growing concern that low dietary levels of DHA in pregnancy may lead to poor birth outcomes and delayed or reduced cognitive function in children after birth. Uncontrolled HIV infection may lead to cognitive impairments as well as reduced immune function. Therefore, for pregnant women living with food insecurity and HIV infection, these problems may be compounded and health risks to their infants high. To evaluate these concerns, a pre‐clinical trial was conducted in pregnant women in Zambia, a country where malnutrition and HIV are endemic. The study participants included 91 women in the second trimester of pregnancy, 46 of which were HIV seropositive and 45 HIV seronegative. Among the HIV positive participants 11 had high viral load. The overarching study goal was to determine if plasma DHA levels were low relative to global averages and if they correlated with inflammation and HIV status. Hematological assessment included measurement of biomarkers for nutritional status, HIV status and viral load, as well as inflammation. Plasma lipids were assessed using the Folch extraction method, fatty acid methyl esters were prepared and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Protein biomarkers data were measured using commercial ELISA kits. Overall, DHA levels were low at 2.16±0.75 mass percent of total fatty acids but did not vary significantly with HIV status. Averages of the nutritional biomarkers insulin and leptin were low and high, respectively, compared to global averages when comparing all participants. Insulin was not significantly different based on HIV status. Leptin was reduced in HIV seropositive participants compared to those who were seronegative and this correlated, as expected, with pre‐pregnancy BMI. For the inflammatory markers CRP and LCN2, only LCN2 was significantly different dependent on HIV status, and levels were on average lower in seropositive individuals. Within the HIV positive participants, the 11 with high vial load did not have levels of insulin, leptin, CRP or LCN2 that were significantly different from those with low viral load. These data demonstrate that select protein biomarkers for inflammation and nutrition are variably affected by HIV and nutritional status. Currently, these studies are being expanded to understand the role of dietary fatty acids in contributing to health outcomes in pregnancy and dependent upon HIV status.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.